POLICE hunting the killers of a British expat and his beauty queen ex-wife are quizzing a violent gang known as 'The Quick Ones', it emerged yesterday.

Monica Spear and her husband Thomas Berry were murdered in Venezuela [ENTERPRISE NEWS AND PICTURES]

One of its members, a youngster called Adolfito or little Adolfo, was captured by neighbours and handed over to police on suspicion on shooting dead former Miss Venezuela Monica Spear and her ex husband Thomas Berry, authorities said.

Two other suspects being questioned are minors aged just 15 and 16.

Rafael Lacava, mayor of the town of Puerto Cabello near to the scene of Monday night's horror shooting, revealed the gang of six also include two women.

They have been quizzed by local police and now face further questioning by murder squad detectives and state prosecutors.

'El Adolfito' is said to have been arrested by police on at least nine occasions.

A respected crime reporter said pals of his being quizzed included a youth nicknamed 'El Monito' - Spanish for 'The Little Monkey.'

Police have confirmed the pair were shot in front of their five-year-old daughter Maya Feliz as their car was being loaded onto a tow truck they had stopped after puncturing a tyre on the motorway between Puerto Cabello and Venezuela's third largest city Valencia.

A violent gang called 'The Quick Ones' have been questioned over the killings of the couple [AP]

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She was so sweet, just like you see her in the photos. She was as beautiful a person on the inside as she was on the outside

Mariela Mootz - aunt of Monica Spear

Police chief Jose Gregorio Sierralta said they were killed after locking themselves inside their Toyota Corolla to stop their attackers stealing their car as the tow truck driver and an assistant ran to a police checkpoint a mile away for help.

"Unfortunately as the car was on the upper part of the tow truck several individuals surprised them and shot them inside the vehicle after seeing they had locked themselves inside," Mr Sierralta told local press.

Relatives from both victims' families arrived in Venezuela today for their funerals, due to take place on Friday in Caracas.

Survivor Maya Feliz, who suffered a leg wound, continued to be comforted by her British-born paternal grandparents Tom and Kate, at a hospital in the Venezuelan capital.

The dead man's sister Katie, who lives in Edinburgh, was expected to join her retired university maths professor dad and mum today.

She and her brother moved to Venezuela as young children but she returned to Britain to find work with her Venezuelan husband.

Ex-Miss Venezuela Monica Spear on the catwalk [REUTERS]

Thomas, 39, a travel firm boss, also used to return regularly to the UK to see family and friends.

Monica's aunt Mariela Mootz said Thomas and his ex-wife, who became the star of a string of soap operas after taking up a career in acting, were going through a process of reconciliation before the horrific shooting that cut short their lives on a Venezuelan motorway.

Mrs Mootz described her niece - voted Miss Venezuela in 2004 - as a "sweet young girl".

She said: "She was so sweet, just like you see her in the photos.

"She was as beautiful a person on the inside as she was on the outside.

"She was very loving and dreamed of triumphing in French cinema after spending time in France where she learnt the language.

"She was due to visit her grannie shortly, who was hospitalised after breaking her hip in a fall.

"There was no need for what happened. There's no respect for life anymore."